Bodyweight Exercises For Beginners

Bodyweight training is not only an essential part of your overall exercise routine but also a great way to familiarize yourself with weightlifting. Many people are oblivious to the effectiveness of bodyweight training because all we see in fitness magazines are pictures of guys/girls in gyms. Weightlifting and having access to gym equipment obviously have their advantages, but if you don’t have access to a gym or are unable to lift weights due to an injury, bodyweight training could be just the thing for you.

The catch is that bodyweight exercises emphasize fundamental movement patterns in your exercises, which are a necessary foundation for lifting weights later. Once you can properly perform a push-up, you’re ready to take on the bench press because you’ve gotten your body used to the movement under your own weight.

They can also positively impact your stability and movement coordination, which lowers the risk of injury even more. One of the advantages that bodyweight exercises have when compared to weight-training is that all bodyweight exercises are multijoint movements. This means that they target multiple muscle groups rather than just one. The push-up can be a challenging exercise at first because it targets not only your chest but also your core and your triceps. Other than the quintessential push-up, other great bodyweight exercises for beginners are chin-ups, dips, and bodyweight squats.

Now that you know all this, here are a few exercises you should incorporate into your bodyweight routine. Do them slowly and maintain a good position, and you’re well on your way to strength and stability.

The Standard Push-Up

Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps, rest 60 seconds between each set.

Chin Up

3 sets of 10 reps, rest 90 seconds between sets.

Dips

3 sets for as many reps as you can, rest 60-90 seconds between sets.

Bodyweight Squats

3 sets of 15-20 reps, 60-90 seconds of rest between each.

Crunches

3 sets of 20 reps, resting 30 seconds between sets.

Calf Raises

3 sets of 20 reps. Do one leg at a time, alternate between the legs, and rest for 30 seconds between each set if you need to.